What, no Turkey?

Well, at least none with any feathers (that we know of). Yes, Bush made another surprise visit to Iraq sans any Commander-in-Chief-gear lest you think this was some kind of propaganda in advance of the September Report.

The meetings were held at Al Asad air base rather than in Baghdad because Mr. Bush wanted to see first hand the progress in Anbar, he said, though the president is not scheduled to leave the base, a sprawling complex far from the province’s population centers.

Yes, Bush was over heard saying, "I wanna see, well not exactly see, don't wanna get that close to my progress. But feel, I wanna be able to feel the progress. I wanna be close enough that the progress can osmosificate^TM through me. I'm feelin' it now".

Reports are that, unfortunately, he didn't make it to the restroom before his progress exploded over everyone.

The Check, Please

Here's an idea - how about we let them pay for it -the Quagmire that is Iraq. I believe you could call it chump change -couldn't we chumps?

Still Looking for Their Strong Suit

Geez, the pResident's puppet Iraqi government can't seem to get anything right:

“In a rare incident, the head of the accused Barzan Ibrahim al-Hassan was separated from his body during the execution,” al-Dabbagh told reporters.

Hangmen gauge the length of rope needed to snap the neck of the condemned but not to create enough force to sever the head.[emphasis mine]

I guess we can rule out math and physics. But at least, according to the Iraqi government spokesperson, Ali al-Dabbagh:

“No one shouted slogans or said anything that would taint the execution. None of those charged were insulted.”

Good to know nothing was said to taint this execution.

Anatomy of a Headline

Presumably the headlines from ABC News:







and the Washington Post:







were derived from the results of the poll they conducted after the miserable fuck-up's speechification last night - which found Americans less than impressed with his way forward.

So, does CNN have different information:






If not, shouldn't that headline have read: The Administration Attempts to Sell Iraq Plan but Americans Aren't Buying

Enough already. Too many Iraqi and American lives have been lost as window dressing in Bush's tragic opera 1upmanship with Poppy. In this final act we merely return to the blameless sociopath who's accountable for nothing - the surge providing the cover necessary for the claim that the failure in Iraq should fall squarely on the Iraqis - because America did all that it could. Now there's a poll question for you: Do you think the purpose of the Preznit's surge plan is allow American withdrawal while avoiding any responsibility for the fiasco that is Iraq?

Republicans: Never Accountable; Never to Blame. Kinda catchy. Maybe they can use in in '08.

More for the Annals of *Outstanding Reporting

By ANNE FLAHERTY, Associated Press Writer Sat Jan 6, 7:22 AM ET

WASHINGTON -President Bush's plan to send more troops to Iraq is running into trouble on Capitol Hill, with Republicans joining Democrats in raising eyebrows before the president even has a chance to make his case.[emphasis mine]

Thanks, Anne -heckuva job. Yes, poor little George with absolutely no press coverage and only a matter of weeks since the Iraq Study Group report was released (from which I'm sure he had no advance information) hasn't had any opportunity to make the case for his latest round of lunacy.

*And by outstanding I mean ... worthy of the Medal of Freedom. Which, by the way, shouldn't Harriet be in line for now that she's gone to spend more time with the family she doesn't have.

Interesting timing on Harriet's resignation no? Democrats take control of congress and the woman who was the most qualified person Bush could find to sit on the Supreme Court is somehow not so competent when she might be called upon to defend him.

Too bad Bush can't find a reason to hang her, she no doubt has information that might be - hmmm, how do you say ... incriminating. I'm just saying, if she drowns while changing the water in her goldfish bowl ...

New Year Same Old Shit

Not so much a new Iraq strategy as much as a new implementarian^TM.

The Gay Surge?

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Army general who was Joint Chiefs chairman when the Pentagon adopted its "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays says he no longer opposes allowing them to serve openly.

John Shalikashvili, who retired in 1997 after four years as the nation's top military officer, had argued that allowing homosexuals to serve openly would hurt troop morale and recruitment and undermine the cohesion of combat units. He said he has changed his mind after meeting with gay servicemen.

... His view could carry weight at a time when advocates of lifting the restriction on gay service members argue that the military -- under the strain of fighting two wars -- can ill-afford to exclude any qualified expendible volunteers targets.[emphasis mine]

Well, isn't that special - want to increase troop levels in Iraq but don't have any troops? We don't plan on asking 'cause it's still a sin and all besides being just plain icky but hey we'll even let you tell us because you too should be allowed the opportunity to give your life so that others can line their pockets. After all, if you're busy trying to stay alive or dying over in Iraq maybe you'll forget that whole same-sex marriage stuff.

Shalikashvili cautioned, however, against pushing for repeal of the ban early in the new Congress, which he said should be focused on urgent priorities like developing a better strategy in Iraq and healing divisions over the war.[emphasis mine]

I'm thinking it's one and the same thing if you want Repugnicans to support openly gay service - gotta be something in it for them. Fortunately with their level of incompetence it can't happen that quickly - gotta love the timing though.